Howdy Skiers and Snowboarders! Hope you have been getting into the Sierra in the past month or so. The end of season wrap-up has been as good as it gets, considering the winter drought. Corn conditions have been excellent and some cold storms have kept the powder skiing dream alive. On Monday and Tuesday we had a fantastic cold front pass through that dropped 2-4 inches of snow that stuck down to 8000 feet. A little moderate winds from SW to NW gave us 6-12+ inches of excellent skiing for the last 2 days. Today is warmer, but windier and more wind is in the forecast for the weekend, possibly with some light showers. Expect excellent powder skiing right now in steep North facing gullies to be wind affected by the start of the weekend. Snow accumulations will only amount to a trace if any and should not make much difference. Snowline is solid above 10,000-10,500 feet but patchy to gone below that. Above 10,500 feet the snowpack is decent on all aspects especially just west of the crest and north of the Palisades. Snow on all aspects above 11,500 feet is back into transition and will need a few warm, sunny and calm days to turn into corn. When that happens, there will be another period of excellent skiing, for those willing to make the approach to elevation in trail runners.
So enjoy the goods when the time is right and hope to see you out there in the last couple weeks before we all transition to the next mountain season.
Here is a gallery from the last 2 days for your further elaboration on conditions and visual enjoyment. ~ Howie
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- Mt. Locke, 6am
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- Vatche B., morning person
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- Vatche B. shows his skinning skills
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- Skinning up the Central Wahoo Gully
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- Central Wahoo Gully
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- Shoulder of Mt. Locke
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- Bishop Skyline and desert
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- May powder skiing on the Central Couloir du Wahoo
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- And more spring pow
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- Mt. Emerson
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- High on Locke
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- Nothing beats ski touring above North America’s deepest valley.
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- May 8, 2014 – Nearing the summit of Mt. Locke, Mt. Emerson behind. Emerson North Couloir not fully filled in at the top.
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- Headwaters of the N Fork Birch Creek. Decent snowpack and coverage.
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- Summit, Mt. Locke
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- Recent snow on the ridge to Kindergarten Chute
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- Mt. Emerson and Peak 13,121 from Mt. Locke.
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- Kindergarten Chute
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- 4-8″ of dust on edgeable crust on the upper 300 feet, then the 12-16″ powder shots began.
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- Vatche B. in first grade (after Kindergarten)
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- May powder still cold and dry, 2 days after the storm
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- 2-3 inches of snow around 9500′ melted quickly